ONSLOW CO., N.C. (WCTI) — A marine veteran has just completed a cross-country horseback journey that was all for a good cause.
Matt Perella left Camp Pendleton in southern California in April and arrived in Camp Lejeune in eastern North Carolina on Tuesday.
He completed the rambling, nearly 7,000-mile journey across 17 states on the back of his horse, Buck.
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"My horse is my favorite thing to do. So I needed to just get up and go. So I was like, 'I'm just gonna give up everything and I'm gonna cross the country,'" said Perella.
Perella says it was done to raise awareness for veterans suffering from PTSD. He ended his five years of service in the Marines in 2004.
For Perella, the long journey was one of healing and hope as he dealt with his own mental health struggle.
"I just sat in the barn with my horse for like a month staring at walls, didn't know where to go, really contemplating on what's gonna make me happy from here on out. And it was my animals and nature and I had to decide, what am I gonna do with this And it was ride," said Perella.
The former marine has founded the Righteous Life Rescue Ranch to help other vets facing the same challenges.
